At a glance
Skin and trim duck breasts of all fat, slice them 1/4 inch thick, and marinate them in soy, Worcestershire, brown sugar and crushed juniper for 4 to 12 hours. Heat the strips to 165°F in the first hour of drying, then dry them at 145°F to 160°F until they bend and crack. Keep it in the fridge.
Duck breast makes rich, deeply flavored jerky, and it is one of the best ways for hunters to use a season's worth of wild ducks. Farmed duck breasts work too. Because duck is poultry, the main things to get right are trimming the fat and reaching the safe temperature.
Wild or farmed duck
Wild duck breasts are lean and dark, with a strong, gamey flavor that suits a bold marinade. Farmed duck breasts are larger and milder but carry a thick layer of fat under the skin, which must be removed completely. Fat does not dry and goes rancid in jerky.
Food safety for poultry jerky
The USDA advises heating poultry to 165°F before or at the start of drying, because most dehydrators run too cool to kill bacteria on their own. Running your smoker or oven at 170°F to 180°F for the first hour, and checking the thickest strips, gets you there. After that, the temperature can drop to finish drying.
Recipe
Duck Jerky
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 4 hr
- Total
- 4 hr 20 min plus 4 to 12 hours marinating
- Makes
- About 8 oz (225 g) of jerky
- Heat to 165°F (74°C), the poultry safe temperature
- Dry at 145°F to 160°F (63°C to 71°C)
- About 3 to 5 hours
Ingredients
Duck
- 1 1/2 lb (680 g) skinless duck breasts, farmed or wild, all fat removed
Marinade
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 6 juniper berries, crushed
- 1 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
Equipment
- Smoker, oven or dehydrator that holds 145°F to 180°F
- Wire racks
- Thermometer
Method
- Remove the skin and trim off every piece of fat from the duck breasts.
- Partly freeze the breasts for about an hour, then slice them 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick, with the grain.
- Mix the marinade, add the duck and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.
- Drain, pat dry and lay the strips on racks without touching.
- Heat the strips to 165°F (71°C) in the first hour by starting the smoker or oven at 170°F to 180°F (77°C to 82°C). Check thicker pieces with a thermometer.
- Lower the heat to 145°F to 160°F (63°C to 71°C) and dry for 2 to 4 more hours, until the strips are dry and bend and crack without snapping.
- Cool completely, then store in airtight bags in the fridge.
Notes
- Duck fat goes rancid quickly in dried meat, so trim it all away. Save it for cooking.
- Store homemade duck jerky in the fridge and eat it within 1 to 2 weeks, or freeze it.
Flavor ideas
- Juniper and pepper: the classic game pairing used here.
- Orange and five spice: swap the juniper for orange zest and Chinese five spice.
- Teriyaki: use the marinade from our pork jerky.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make jerky from wild duck?
Yes. Wild duck is ideal because it is so lean. Remove any shot and damaged meat before slicing.
What temperature does duck jerky need to reach?
165°F (74°C), the safe temperature for poultry, before or at the start of drying.
How long does duck jerky last?
Around 1 to 2 weeks in the fridge in an airtight container, or a few months in the freezer.
Sources: USDA: Jerky and food safety.